Mime (3.5e Class)

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This page is of questionable balance. Reason: Mimic and replication abilities need some checks. Concentration checks should be added when the mime is focused. Maybe Instability should be changed to a class feature that still gives some benefits to a then failed check, ergo with some potential setbacks?

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The Mime's main strong point is his skill in using abilities of others in conjunction, allowing him to have a better overall set of abilities. His only real weakness is that he must have many high ability scores in order to fully utilize these different abilities.

Abilities: All abilities are important to a Mime, because he copies the special properties from other classes. Wisdom is the most useful, as it determines how well he can master the powers he takes. All the other abilities can be useful, depending on the role the Mime is taking.

Races: Mimes can be of any race, though the most common are humans, because of their versatile learning. Changelings (Monster Manual 3) also often enjoy the thought of being a Mime, so as to mimic the abilities of the person they change into.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Proficient in all simple weapons. Proficient in light armors.

Mimic (Su): The mime's main power is the ability to copy the skills of other individuals. By making a melee touch attack (that provokes attacks of opportunity unless he has the Improved Unarmed Strike feat), the mime can touch a target and copy a single ability that target possesses. At first level, the mime can only copy Natural abilities. These abilities include:

-The target's ranks in a skill (to a maximum number of ranks equal to the Mime's class level +3). That skill becomes a class skill for the Mime so long as this ability is in use.

-A feat the target knows (the mime must meet the prerequisites for the feat).

-The target's Saving Throw progression (Good/Bad progressions relative to his level, not the exact number). The mime must copy all three saves, not just a single one.

-Any ability the target knows that is non-magical in nature and does not need to be activated (Example abilities that can be taken include, but are not limited to: Sneak Attack, Wild Empathy, Flurry of Blows, or Evasion). If these abilities scale with class level (Sneak attack +Xd6, Flurry of Blows penalties), they use the mime's class level to determine their strength.

Copy Spell
At 2nd level, a mime can also replicate spells or spell-like abilities from the target. By touching his target, the mime learns one of the spells the caster knows (for spontaneous casters) or has prepared (for prepared casters) or he copies a spell-like ability the target can use. Either way, the mime then gains that spell as a spell-like ability which he can use once per day. This increases to twice per day if his class level is equal to three times the spell level, and three times per day if his class level is four times the spell level (0-level spells can be cast three times per day). The DC for these spell-like abilities is equal to 10 + the spell level + the mime's Wisdom modifier.
A mime can only have a certain amount of spells copied of any given spell level, shown on the table "Maximum Spells Copied" above. The mime can use a higher-level spell slot to account for a lower-level spell (for example: a 20th level mime can have 10 first level spell-like abilities; or he can have 3 9th level spell-like abilities).

Copy Special Ability
At 4th level, a mime can replicate other special abilities a target has. By touching his target, a mime can copy any non-spell-like ability that must be consciously activated (Consciously activated abilities include, but are not limited to: Rage, Wild Shape, Wholeness of Body, or Smite Evil), or any passive ability that is supernatural in nature (i.e. Fast Healing or Spell Resistance). If these abilities scale by level, use his mime class level to determine their power. If the copied ability requires a pool of energy, such as Ki points or a magus' Arcane Pool, the mime has a number of these points per day equal to one half his mime level + his Wisdom modifier (these points can increase with the Extra Ki feat or the equivalent, but the feat is only useful so long as he has an ability that requires these points).

When a mime uses this ability, he designates one of the ability types to copy (Natural ability, Spell, or Special Ability) and he copies a randomly selected ability of that type. Alternatively, the mime can choose a specific ability he wants to copy from the target. If he chooses a specific ability, he does not need to know the exact name; he simply has to know by memory what the ability does. In this case, the mime can successfully copy the chosen ability if he can succeed a caster level check (DC 10 + target's character level). If the mime fails the caster level check by 5 or less, or if he chooses an ability the target does not possess, he instead copies a randomly determined ability of the same type as the chosen ability, as though he had simply designated an ability type. If the target does not possess any abilities of the chosen ability type, the mime fails to copy any abilities. Using this ability, as well as activating any special or spell-like ability copied, under distracting circumstances requires a concentration check as though casting a spell.

If a mime tries to copy any ability (whether randomly or specifically) from a being who's character level is more than 5 levels higher than the mime's (or who's CR is more than 5 levels higher, for creatures with non-class hit dice), he must make a caster level check (as above). If he fails this caster level check, he is not able to copy any ability from the creature. If he fails this check by 10 or more, he takes nonlethal damage equal to 1d4 times the difference in levels between the mime and the targeted creature and becomes fatigued.

A mime can have 1 ability copied at a time, plus an additional 1 every odd level (2 abilities at 3rd, 3 abilities at 5th; to a maximum of 10 abilities at 19th level). As a swift action, a mime can "forget" any of his copied abilities. At 11th level, he can "forget" as a free action instead.

[Note]: A mime can never copy any Mime class feature (such as this Mimic ability, Sense Ability, or Visual Replication). He can, however, copy an ability that another mime has copied. [Note 2]: If a mime copies a spell or ability multiple times in one day, his daily uses of the ability are counted as though he never lost it (i.e. A mime has the Channel Energy ability 5 times per day; if he uses the ability 3 times, then forgets the ability in favor of a different ability, and then again copies the Channel Energy ability, he has still already used the ability 3 times and only has 2 uses left, regardless of who he copied the ability from).[Note 3]: A mime can NOT mimic an ability (or spell) he already knows from another class he has multiclassed into.

Instability:This ability is for more advanced players, and can be simply ignored without changing the balance of the class. Consult your DM before using this ability. Some abilities are too powerful for a lower level mime to control; but that does not mean he can't try. If a mime copies any spell or special ability that is too high of a level for him, he becomes unstable (these include spells with too high of a spell level for the mime, as well as special abilities that would not normally be able to be obtained until a higher level than the mime is currently). An unstable mime suffers the following penalties:

-If the mime tries to copy another ability, or if he tries to use one of his current special or spell-like abilities, he has a chance to explode with arcane energy. This chance is equal to 25% + "X", where "X" is twice the difference in levels between the mime and the unstable ability (i.e. If the mime is level 7 and copies a 13th level ability, his explosion chance is 37%). This explosion strikes everyone within 5 times "X" feet, and deals Xd4 nonlethal damage to everyone hit and knocks them prone. A successful reflex save halves this damage and negates the prone status. The unstable mime takes double this damage and cannot make a reflex save. After exploding, the unstable ability is forgotten.

-If a mime attempts to use the unstable ability, there is a 25% chance (on top of the explosion chance) that a random ability will activate, as a Rod of Wonder. If this happens, the unstable ability is forgotten.

-If the mime attempts to use any spell-like or special ability, there is a 10% chance (on top of the previous chances) that the ability will simply fail to activate. If so, the unstable ability is forgotten and the mime becomes fatigued.

Sense Ability (Su): Mimes gain a supernatural insight to the beings around them. Starting at 2nd level, if a mime gets within close range (25 feet + 5 feet/2 levels) of a creature that possesses spells or special abilities, he feels a tingling sensation (this does not include party members and other creatures he has become familiar with). He can then focus for a number of rounds to gain more insight. Focusing like this takes a move action every round.

-One round: The mime learns how many beings within close range possess abilities. At this point, the mime "locks on" to one person with an ability and can continue focusing on them as long as they remain within Medium range (100 feet + 10 feet/level).

-Two rounds: The mime learns which creature has the ability, and learns the nature of the abilities (Spells or special abilities, or both).

-Three rounds: The mime learns how many spells and how many special abilities the creature possesses.

In addition to this, if a spell or special ability is used within close range of the mime, the mime instantly knows what kind of ability it was. Finally, if a mime attempts to copy a randomly selected ability from a target, he can instantly sense exactly what the selected spell or ability does and can choose not to copy the ability at the last minute (this does not grant him another chance to copy before his next action).

Slow Learning: This is an optional alternative to the above. If using this alternative, the mime does not learn what an ability does when he copies it. Instead, the DM will give him a hint as to the function (i.e. "You feel faster" for an increase in Dexterity, Reflex, or Movement speed; "You feel a burning force inside you" for any ability that creates fire). Note: This alternative favors role playing much more than optimization. It may cause problems for a beginning player or a player that favors power over character.

Visual Replication (Su): Beginning at 6th level, a mime can copy an ability he sees without needing to touch the target. For as long as this ability is active, if the mime sees a spell, special ability, or natural ability used within medium range (100 feet + 10 feet/level), he instantly knows what kind of ability it was (spell, special, or natural). In addition to this, he can instantly copy any ability he witnesses as though he touched the target and designated that ability, except that he gains a +5 on his caster level check and he cannot copy a randomly selected ability if he fails the check. Copying in this way requires the mime to concentrate from the moment the ability is used until the mime's next turn. During this time, any distracting actions force the mime to make a concentration check or fail to copy the ability.

Activating this ability requires one full round of concentration. At 10th level this reduces to a standard action, and at 14th level it reduces to a swift action. At 18th level, a mime can activate this ability as an immediate action once per day (this allows him to activate it in time to copy an ability that he would otherwise have been too late for). This ability can remain active a number of rounds per day equal to twice the mime's class level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.

Memory Reserve (Su): At 8th level, a mime begins learning to keep his more useful abilities for later times. The Mime can perform a 2 hour ritual while focusing on one ability that he currently knows. After that time, if he ever "forgets" that ability to copy a new one, he can take a full-round action to re-copy it at any point he wishes (as though the target he is copying from is himself).
A Mime can have one ability reserved at a time, plus one additional ability every 4 levels (two at 12th level, three at 16th level, four at 20th level). Just like his copied abilities, the mime can "forget" these reserved abilities in place of a new one; this process is involved during the 2 hour ritual needed to reserve the new ability.

Total Absorption (Su): At 20th level, a mime has fully mastered the process of sensing and copying abilities. Whenever the mime would be alerted by his "Sense Ability" power, he does not need to focus to know the number of people around him that possess special abilities and/or spells. In addition, if he focuses for one round, he can copy a number of randomly selected spells and/or special abilities equal to the number of empty ability slots he has (with this ability, he can specifically designate certain abilities NOT to copy, such as any abilities he knows people have but he doesn't want).

Also, once per day, the mime can ascend to a near-godlike state. He gains an unlimited amount of ability slots, and instantly copies all spell-like abilities, special abilities, and natural abilities that he would be able to copy normally from everyone within close range (25 feet plus 5 feet/2 levels). He is still limited by his normal uses per day, but he is not limited by the number of each spell level he can normally have copied. If he copies the same ability from two different individuals, he copies the best one (He will copy a good attack bonus and save progressions over medium or bad; he will copy Fast Healing 3 over Fast Healing 2; etc.). He retains these abilities for up to two full minutes. After this time, he instantly "forgets" every ability he had copied (including the ones he had before using this ability) and his maximum number of abilities return to normal. After activating this ability, the passive abilities of "Total Absorption" are negated until the mime gets 8 hours rest.

Other Classes: Mimes work well with all classes, because they will copy whatever their teammates do. Mimes often prefer to work with others that have very powerful abilities that aren’t common to most people.

Combat: Any. Mimes will fill whatever role they can with their ability.

Advancement: Any class would be useful to the Mime, as they will give him more abilities so that he doesn't need to copy them later.

Mimes are usually adventurers, trying to find new powerful beings to copy. Once retired from adventuring, Mimes usually visit tournaments to try and see new abilities they can master.

Daily Life: Search for powerful beings, attempt to befriend them. No matter what, take their power.

Notables: Peter Petrelli, Sylar (both from HEROES), Megaman.

Organizations: Mimes will often come together in a large group to try to optimize their ability selection. In fact, there is a guild of mimes who's sole purpose is to meet up once every year to trade abilities with each other.

NPC Reactions: Often, NPCs will show anger towards mimes, thinking they are simply cheating by stealing the hard work from them. However, it is just as common for people to worship the mime as a hero that can protect them from any enemy. These reactions are greatly influenced by how the mimes they meet act, and their first impressions.

Mimes are either adventurers or they are guardians of cities or royal people. They are highly trusted to defend something.

Adaptation: Mimes can fit into any campaign , as their abilities allow them to match most other characters. They will be most powerful in a campaign that features many different types of abilities for them to experiment with.

Sample Encounter: Terran Lynter is the guardian of the city Selevnia. He has been guardian for many years, and he has taken the abilities of all threats to the city, and removed the threat. He is known as Selevnia's Hero. He can currently Wild Shape as a 7th level druid, he can Rage as a 7th level barbarian, and he can cast the Magic Missile spell as a 7th level wizard three times per day. He also has the Evasion ability. He has access to Visual Replication for 14 rounds in a day, and he will typically activate this ability just before battle actually begins.